PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte doubled down on his angry rhetoric against communist rebels on Sunday, saying they are now considered a “terrorist group” following attacks on government troops that forced an end to a five-month old truce and the cancellation of peace talks.

Duterte made the statement just hours after abruptly ending negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), telling government negotiators to “fold their tents” and calling on leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) to go back to prison.